


Immigrants are Welcome Here

by LoveActUnify



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: ACLU, Immigrants welcome, M/M, Muslim Ban, Pretty much every Avenger is there even if they're not mentioned by name, Refugees Welcome, protest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-02-06
Packaged: 2018-09-21 01:36:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9525845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveActUnify/pseuds/LoveActUnify
Summary: When Steve hears about the executive order instituting a Muslim ban, he, Tony, Kamala, and the rest of the Avengers get down to the airport stand up against it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First, my thoughts are with the people protesting in Romania right now. You all are amazing. 
> 
> Second, a Muslim ban and a refugee ban are wrong. This is a country for everyone. Thank goodness for all the people willing to stand up against it including protesters, lawyers, and judges. There's been a lot going on, but for right now there is a temporary nationwide halt on the ban thanks to judge James Robart of Washington state.

"Tony, call your lawyers and get in the car," Steve said as he snatched his coat off the back of a kitchen chair and stormed towards the elevator.

"Um, what?" Tony asked as he got up from the couch and jogged after his power-walking husband. Tony pulled his winter coat out of the closet as he watched his husband jabbing repeatedly at the elevator's call button. "Steve, what's going on?" he asked, sounding worried. "And you can stop that," he took Steve's moving hand in his, "Jarvis is bringing the elevator as fast as he can."

"I know, I know," Steve said, sounding agitated. He ran his free hand through his hair. 

"Steve, what's happened. Are you alright?"

"Alright? Alright? No, I'm not alright. He's- he's-, ugh." Steve couldn't even get the words out through his disgust. Tony waited for him to continue. The elevator came and they entered, Steve immediately hitting the Lobby button. "That man has just signed an executive order stopping people from seven middle eastern countries from entering the United States for the next 90 days and halting the US Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days," Steve spat. "Not only that, he has stopped Syrian refugees from entering INDEFINITELY.

Do you know what that means, Tony. That means that refugees, people fleeing from terror, people who are essentially Running for Their Lives are being denied entry to the United States. People who have waited years to come here, For Their Own Safety, who have done everything that was asked of them, filled out every form, been to every interview, they are being told that none of that matters...that they don't matter... They're trying to put people back on planes, Tony," Steve said in a quieter voice. His sudden lack of yelling made the car seem empty. He closed his eyes and bit his lip.

"I've contacted my people," Tony said softly, leaning closer to Steve, tightening his arm around his waist, letting him know that they were going to fight this together. "They're finding every immigration lawyer they know and heading down to the airport."

"Do you think anyone else is coming?" Steve asked, looking at Tony with eyes that said he remembered being the only one in a fight before. He remembered being the only one who would stand up for someone being mistreated, and whatever Tony said, he was ready to do it again. Behind the closed doors of the elevator he looked young, vulnerable. 

"Yes," Tony replied without hesitation. This was New York. And no matter what people said about them, this was a city of people who cared, people who would turn out on a cold winter's day for people they didn't even know, who would stand shoulder to shoulder and say This Is Wrong. The doors opened, and Tony looked over, sure of what he would see. And he was right. There was Steve Rogers, chest up, shoulders pulled back, ready to stand, ready to fight. 


	2. Chapter 2

"We need to figure out what we're dealing with here," Tony said as they got in the car. 

"I'm calling the others," Steve said as he pulled out his communicator. He quickly typed a message and sent it out. 

"That's a good first step," Tony said.

"Actually it's step two. Step one was leaving the tower and getting in the car," Steve pointed out, drumming his fingers on the door. 

"Okay, it's a good step two," Tony amended. "But what I meant was, we need a plan for what we're going to do today."

"We need to stop the ban and get the people they're detaining out. And we need to make sure they don't send anyone back."

"Yeah, watching you steal the quinjet to go bring them back would be a bit of a time waster," Tony agreed. "I would much rather have you home."

"I'm sure that's exactly how the detainees' families feel about them," Steve replied, staring out the window as though he could see them from there. "Anyways, it can't be stealing if you're letting me take it," Steve added a moment later. 

"Who said I would let you take it?"

"First of all, of course you would let me take it; I would need something to follow the armor with. And second, if you were actually standing there watching, and not already flying ahead, it means you wouldn't be trying to stop me. So, you'd be letting me take it."

Tony laughed and turned back to his phone. "Okay, Pepper's organizing news coverage and calling reporters to get a press conference going."

"Good," Steve said. "People need to know that this kind of thing is unacceptable. We must speak out against it as quickly as possible." 

Steve stared out the window wondering how this had happened, how the people of this country had so lost touch with one another that they had allowed such a man into power. How had they elected a human being who could care so little for his fellow man? How had they allowed in someone who chose to surround himself with those as cold-hearted as he or so weak as to collapse under the weight of doing what was right? Steve didn't know. What he did know was that that man did not speak for him, did not stand for him. He knew there would always be people who would stand up and say 'This is Wrong. We Will Not Allow It.'

"If you're thinking of storming the airport and busting down walls to let the detainees out, please let me know now so I can at least try to explain it later," Tony said, breaking into Steve's dark thoughts.

"Wouldn't it be better I let Pepper know," Steve replied, dragging himself back to Tony. His husband stuck his tongue out at him. 

"Haha, very funny. I'll have you know I'm perfectly capable of talking to the press."

"And telling them you're Iron Man," Steve pointed out. "Which I'm pretty sure was exactly the opposite of what you were supposed to say."

"And aren't you glad I did," Tony cajoled. "Imagine the tabloid stories if they found out you were dating Iron Man and Tony Stark at the same time. They would besmirch your name. Couldn't have that now could I?"

"Oh, so that was all for my benefit was it? Sure, Tony," Steve laughed and then felt guilty. The people in the airport weren't laughing. The people waiting to find out if their loved ones would be allowed to come to them weren't laughing. Why should he be?

Tony noticed Steve's abrupt change of mood, saw the frown on his face. 

"They're going to be fine," Tony reassured him. "Whatever it takes, we're going to make sure of it." He gripped Steve's hand even tighter. 

"I know, Tony." Steve stared out the window, hand pressed over his mouth.

"It's okay to laugh, Steve," Tony told him gently, correctly guessing the cause of his husband's sudden shift. "Something terrible is happening right now, so yeah okay, this right here might not exactly be the moment for stand-up comedy, but this won't be ended today. Getting all the people being detained home isn't the end of this. We're still going to have a lot of work to do and if we try to do all of it without laughter, we're not going to succeed. We can't be serious all the time. We can't let this drain us like that."

"Tony-."

"Steve, listen to me on this. I've told you before and I'll tell you again, if we don't take care of ourselves we can't take care of others. Think about it, which doctor would you rather have, the one who's pissed, hungry, and so tired she can barely stand up straight, or the one who got a good night's sleep, is in a great mood, and tells a joke to help lighten things up?"

"As long as she's not big, green, and roaring I'm gonna count it as a win," Steve replied with a tired smile. 

"You know Bruce isn't that kind of doctor," Tony replied. "We're almost there."

Steve looked out the window and saw people walking towards the airport with jackets zipped tight, scarves wrapped around the throats, and signs in their hands. 

"We didn't bring signs," Steve said in dismay. 

"Where we're going, we're not going to need them just yet," Tony told him. Steve looked on in surprise as the car drove straight past the gathering crowd. 

"Where are we going?" He wanted to be with the people right now. 

"To where they're holding the detainees, lawyers say they're almost here," Tony told him, looking at his phone which he had been using for most of the ride. 

"Good," Steve said. They remained in silence for the rest of the ride, Steve watching as more and more people joined the protesting crowd. Men, women, children, they were all coming, pouring into the growing crowd.

Happy pulled up to the curb. "I'll park and meet you inside soon, Boss," he told Tony. 

"Good deal," Tony replied. He took Steve's hand again once they were out of the car. "Here we go," he told him.

"We're ready," Steve replied. 


	3. Chapter 3

"The press conference will start in thirty minutes," Tony told Steve.

"Couldn't we start sooner?" Steve asked. They had only been here twenty minutes but he was starting to get antsy. "The quicker we start, the quicker we can end this." 

"I want to wait for the crowd to get a little bigger, show how many people support immigrants and refugees. We've already posted on all our social media accounts, so people know to get down here. We just need to wait for a few more people to arrive."

"Well, the big green beacon should help them find it," Clint said as he brought Tony a cup of coffee. 

"Big guy's first protest. I'm proud of him," Tony said, taking the cup and nodding gratefully at Clint. 

"There's a something I never thought I'd see," Steve said. As soon as he had found out about the ban, Bruce had hulked out. Hulk had then stomped over to the airport and added his roars to the crowd's chanting. Quicksilver had gone with him, able to keep up with the Hulk's quick progress. When they had arrived at the airport and Hulk had seen all the signs he had wanted one too so Quicksilver had zipped out and brought him the biggest poster board he could find and a bucket of paint. 

Hulk had finger painted his very own sign. It read 'Hulk say Freedom'. He was very proud. Right now, he the rest of the Avengers were outside, chanting with the crowd. Hulk had a bit of a hard time with the chants so he just gave well-timed roars. The crowd was loving it. 

"What did they say?" Steve asked suddenly, walking quickly to the woman who had just entered the terminal. He, Tony, and Clint gathered around her. 

"They didn't want to tell me anything," she told them. She was one of the two dozen lawyers that Tony's call had brought to the airport already. "But eventually they did say that they were holding about twenty people, but that number might not be accurate. It will also probably rise as more flights come in throughout the day."

"How close are we to getting them out?" Steve asked. He looked around the terminal they had set themselves up in. Almost every chair was filled. Lawyers and interpreters had flocked in as soon as the news about the ban had gone out. They had their laptops out as everyone worked to free the detainees. Steve was proud. Even without Tony's call, help had flooded in, and he knew the situation was the same in airports across the country. People had dropped everything to come [help. ](http://gothamist.com/2017/01/29/lawyers_remain_at_jfk_airport_to_fr.php#photo-1)

"Which plane?" Steve said immediately, moving forward, ready to run out and stop the aircraft himself. 

"We don't know that yet. But as soon as I know, I'll tell you." While unconventional, having Captain America refusing to be moved from the landing gear of an airplane would make taking off difficult. 

"How are things going in here?" Sam asked as he walked up. He had been outside with the others and now Clint left to go take his place. 

"That's a nice sign," Steve said in surprise, looking sideways to read the sign Sam had just handed to Clint. 

"Yeah, they're great aren't they," Sam said with an approving grin. "All thanks to Tony." He nodded at the man.

"Wait, what?" Steve asked in surprise. 

"Oh, yeah. I had signs printed off and brought over," Tony said modestly. 

"They're being passed out among the crowd right now," Sam told him. "But back to the lawyers, what's been going on in here?"

"They're telling us twenty people are being held and two might be put back on planes. We're working to make sure they stay here and the ACLU lawyers are working to get a stay on the order approved."

"How long will that take?" Sam asked. 

"Could be all day, could be sooner," she shrugged. "Right now, we just don't know. I have to get back in there, but I'll let you know if anything happens."

"Thank you, Sarah," Tony said as she walked away. "Know what you're going to say yet?" he asked Steve. 

"I'm sure I'll think of something," Steve replied. "What are you doing?" Steve asked Peter who had his phone out, panning it around the busy terminal. The buzz of talk was actually helping Steve's nerves. Watching people work, knowing that something was getting done, helped him.

"Taking pictures and video of everyone working to put on social media. I want everyone to know how hard these lawyers are working to get everyone released."

"Good idea," Steve agreed. He turned to Tony, "Look, I want to talk to the officials detaining the people. I don't want to stand around out here doing nothing."

"Steve, the lawyers are doing everything they can. Look, the camera crews are almost ready, so let's start the press conference as quickly as we can and then we'll go talk to the officials. Okay?" 

"Fine, but as soon as we get back I want answers. And if they try to put anyone on a plane, I'm going with them," Steve said with determination. 

"Agreed. If anyone goes back I will personally fly the quintet after them."

Steve nodded, then he, Tony, and Sam walked out to where their friends were protesting. 

"So Kamala is going to speak first, and you'll be after her," Tony told him as they walked outside. 

"Gosh, Kamala, I hope she's alright. She's from Pakistan right?" Steve asked.

"Actually she's from Jersey, but I know what you mean. We'll be with her soon. But she's tough, and she's probably handling this better than you," Tony pointed out with a grin. Steve thought he was handling this pretty well: he hadn't punched a single person yet.

The roar of the crowd was the first thing to hit Steve as they walked out into the cold New York air, hundreds of voices raised up in solidarity, chanting together, shouting to the world that this injustice would not stand. They would not let it.

"No hate.

No fear.

Immigrants are welcome here," the crown chanted together. Repeating the phrase over and over again. Steve had raised his voice with theirs before he was even aware he was doing it. When he looked over, he saw that Tony had as well. He squeezed his hand as they made their way to their friends. Hulk really did make them easier to find. 

"Tony says you're speaking first," Steve shouted to Kamala as soon as he were near enough. 

"Good," she replied. 

"How are you?" he asked. 

"Ready to fight," she shouted back with a gleam in her eye. Steve smiled. 

The chant changed. 

"Show me what democracy looks like," a woman with a megaphone began.

"This is what democracy looks like," the crowd shouted. 

"Show me what America looks like," she lead with.

"This is what America looks like," the crowd answered firmly. 

"How will they hear us over all this?" Steve asked Tony as the camera people gathered around them, their bright lights shining. 

"Mostly they won't be able to. The camera mics don't amplify sound to the crowd. They're there to make sure you can be heard on the video."

"So they won't know what we're saying?" Steve asked.

"Not right now. They'll have to watch this part on the news tonight. We can get something set up after this for you to talk to the crowd if you want, but for right now this is mainly for people at home."

"At least it's going out. People need to know what's going on here."

"We're ready, Mr. Stark," one of the reporters said.

"Okay, great," Tony replied. He nodded at Kamala as they all circled behind her. 

"Thank you for being here," Kamala began, speaking into the microphones held in front of her. "Last night, an executive order was signed banning nationals from seven majority-Muslim nations, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, from entering the United States for 90 days. Refugees from all countries are banned from entering the United States for four months. And refugees from Syria, a country in the midst of a civil war, are banned Indefinitely," her voice was strong as she spoke. It was a struggle to keep herself composed, but she did it. 

"This ban is Wrong. It is unjust, it is inhumane, and it cannot stand. We are all here now to stand together with immigrants and refugees. We are here to say that we support them. We want them here. And we will stand united in the face of injustice. The people coming here and those already here, being held, have done nothing wrong. Their religion is not a crime. Their country of origin is not a crime.

I understand that people want safety, security. But this is not the way to get it. Shutting people out, turning people way, does not make us stronger. It does not make us better. A bully is not better when he hurts others. This country is full of amazing, wonderful human beings who have come from all over the world. There is strength in diversity, there is beauty in our differences. There is no beauty in cruelty.

This ban cannot be allowed to stand. Dividing people based on religion, race, country, identity, anything, is wrong. Not only does this ban hurt the people coming into the country. It hurst the people already here. I am Pakistani. My family and I, we are free to come and go as we please. But people from these seven countries who are living in the United States, they are not so free. Now they cannot go home to see their families without fear of being denied re-entry to the US. Their loved ones cannot come over whenever they wish to visit them. They may not be here, held in a small room in an airport, but they are held here in this country. They cannot leave. They have done nothing wrong and now they are suffering. They have done nothing wrong and now they cannot be with the ones they love. 

I want them to know, all immigrants, all refugees, all people to know that we stand behind our Muslim brothers and sisters. We stand behind our refugee family. We support you. We love you. We want you here. And that is why we are out here today, to make sure that these people know they have our support. We will fight for them. I have said before that 'A hero is just somebody who tries to do the right thing even when it's hard. There are more of us than you'd think.' Just look around you and you will know that's true. These people have gathered here today  to join hands with other heroes, with the hero parents bringing their families to safety, with the hero immigrants coming to a new land to build a better life. These people have come out here today to say that we will fight for these heroes and for what is right. Thank you.' She stepped out of the spotlight and the other Avengers embraced her. 

The crowd immediately around them had stopped chanting to listen, phones everywhere focused on them, recording, streaming, letting people know what was going on. Outside their small circle the rest of the crowd was as noisy as ever, still going strong despite the cold. Steve's heart was warmed to know there were so many caring people in this country.

"Thank you, Kamala, for your words," Steve said as he took her place in front of the cameras. "I don't know what I can add that she has not already covered. We, all the Avengers and myself, stand together with immigrants and with refugees. This ban goes against our core beliefs. We do not support this ban whatsoever. I urge anyone watching this to come down here and show your support. Hundreds have already turned up with almost no notice and I am proud to stand with them.

Inside, lawyers and members of the ACLU are working to free the detainees. There are two people being threatened with deportation, and that is unacceptable. If you can come here, come. If you can't, then show your support online and donate to the ACLU. These lawyers came here out of the kindness of their hearts. No one asked them to be here. They chose to be here. They heard that people were in trouble and they rushed in to help as did all these protesters. 

I am proud to be surrounded by people who are not afraid to stand up and have their voices hear. Let your voice be heard. Call your representatives, your legislators, and tell them that you oppose this ban. Tell them to use their legal power to fight against such an unjust and unlawful order. Call them, send letters, tell your friends to call. Get your voice heard. 

The constitution says 'We the People'. The people are here and they are speaking. We have the power. We can stand up and say No. Stand with us and say no to this unjust ban." Steve gave a curt nod to the cameras. 

"That was great, thanks," one of the camera people said as they turned off their cameras. Tony went to talk to them before they dispersed while Steve turned to talk to the other Avengers. 

"Here, this is for you," Bucky said, holding out a printed sign to Steve. It said 'Avengers Assemble: We're all Avengers Now.' Steve laughed. 

"Oh, right. I invite two new recruits and everyone gives me a hard time," Clint pretended to gripe. "Stark invites the whole world and suddenly everyone's on board."

"Yep, pretty much," Steve said as he raised the sign above his head. On the back it said 'We Stand With Immigrants'. He was pretty happy with it. 

"What'd they say?" Steve asked as Tony joined them. The camera people were all dispersing. 

"They're going to get footage of the crowds before they leave," he said.

"Good," Steve replied, sign held proudly above his head. 

"You okay?" Tony asked. 

"Not really. Denying people refuge is unthinkable, and yet it's happening. But look at all these people, look how quickly they rushed out here to stand up for people they've never even met. Things might be bad, but they will get better. These people will make sure of that."

"You really think so?" Tony asked. He grabbed a sign and held it up.

"I meant what I said earlier, Tony. 'We the People', that's what matters most. If we stand together, if we let our voices be heard, we will fix this. There's too much room in people's hearts for something like this to stand."

Tony looked out over the crowd, people chanting, shouting, waving signs that spoke only of love and welcome, and he knew that Steve was right. They were the people of these United States. They held all the power they needed to set things right.

"Show me what America looks like."

"This is what America look like."

**Author's Note:**

> The ACLU needs all the support it can get. They've had a lot of donations so far but let's help them out even more. <https://action.aclu.org/donate-aclu>
> 
> There's still time to call your senators to stop Devos. We only need one more vote to keep her from being secretary of education. Call your senator at 202-224-3121 and urge them to vote against her. Call is easier than you think. Just give your name, zip code (so they know you are a constituent), and reason for calling. You can do it!


End file.
